Australians travel to Nelson in force for Oceanias

New Zealand mountain bikers will face a strong challenge from across the Tasman
during the UCI Oceania Mountainbike Championships in Nelson starting on Thursday,
March 13.

The Australians are sending a powerful contingent to contest the four-day event
which begins with the hill climb and dual slalom Thursday, Olympic distance
cross country and 4X Friday  all at Banford Park  and the downhill
at nearby Kaka Hill on Sunday.

Beijing Olympic hopefuls Chris Jongewaard and Sid Taberlay are leading the
Australian cross country team after finishing first and second in their national
championship. Jongewaard, a member of the international Dolphin professional
team, will defend his Oceania title from last year even though he has been more
limited in his mountain bike training and racing time thanks to a highly promising
foray into road cycling. The favorite placed seventh in the Australian time
trial championships recently. Taberlay is a multi-time Australian champion who
finished 23rd at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and sixth in the 2006 Commonwealth
Games.

Without leading rider Kashi Leuchs who is racing in Europe, New Zealand will
look to the likes of national champion Stuart Houltham to lead the way along
with Commonwealth Games representative Mike Northcott.

Competition will be tough in the women's ranks with the top six Australians
from their national championships all competing, including cross country champion
Dellys Starr, favoured to win an Olympic berth. New Zealand women will be led
by Kaytee Boyd, who rode impressively in the recent women's road tour.

Australians will likely fare well in the U19 and U23 ranks with New Zealand's
strongest chances in the U19 women's division in which Wellington's Samara Sheppard
will defend her Oceania title.

New Zealand can expect a strong showing in the downhill events with multi-time
national champion Nathan Rankin, current New Zealand champion Kieran Bennett
and world top-20 ranked Justin Leov. Current national champion Sheryl MacLeod
and former world junior champion Scarlett Hagen will lead the charge in the
women's downhill.

Leov, who rides the Yeti/Fox professional team, will be chasing success in
the four cross along with the women's favourite, three-time Australian champion
Caroline Buchanan.

New Caledonia has also entered riders for the four-day championship event.

The Oceania championships will serve as a trial for the New Zealanders to qualify
for June's world championships in Italy.